…I think I’m about to type something you, or I,  do not want to see. But here it goes: I’m going to take a little time out from the blog for the coming weeks so that I can focus on the book. As much as it pains me to type those words, it pains me more to not be able to focus on the task at hand. The writing of this book is such a big journey – it’s intimate and consuming, and I want to, and need to, be present for every moment of it.

So that means from next week on I will be absent from the blog – and your blogs unfortunately – so that I can be completely engaged in this particular creative endeavour. I estimate I’ll be absent for a couple of weeks, but I will not make promises at this stage, I really want to go with the flow. This also goes for emails too – so please understand that if you have written me an email that I haven’t replied to, it’s nothing personal, I’m just absent.

But for one last bit of fun I was thinking, many of you have asked me lots of questions in comments and emails over the past few months and I have not been able to get back to you – some have been inquiries about camera equipment I use, some about assisting opportunities, some about local designers and so on. So in light of my forthcoming absence, if there is something you’ve been wanting to know and I still haven’t answered this question in a post, or email, or comment, please leave your question in a comment below and tomorrow I will pick one of the questions that was asked the most and write a post specifically about that topic. If there has been something you’ve been dying to know, now is the time to ask it.

Thank you mes amis!

xx

Last night’s impromptu booksigning and meet up was a hit! I met loads of lovely people, signed my little heart out, and was super pleased to find out the books sold out within the first hour. Yippee! However I was not happy to see a few people missed out. As usual I completely forgot about taking photos, and french boy forgot too until the very end when there were just a few people left. He was in mid conversation with someone and then all of a sudden he jumped up and announced with a look of sheer panic “I forgot to take photos!!”

from left to right: my dear friend Jenni Booth chatting with fellow stylist Phoebe; Stef, owner of the very cool store in newtown called newspaper taxi; me; and fiona, an avid reader and visitor of the (blog)house.

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He managed to find the camera, click the button, and the above scene is what he captured: The big empty spot on the coffee table is where the stack of books were, I am the one to the right with the ripped jeans (I decided to go with a bit of a hip, punk style – I’m hoping this looked better in person than it does on this photograph), and all the space around was filled with people – standing, sitting, chatting, sipping coffee, and me signing books amidst it all. It was a great atmosphere and Berkelouw made it all very welcoming – they had set up this little nook just for us, set among all their glorious shelves of books. Isn’t the setting fabulous?

So, it was all round good fun, and I’m feeling more and more at ease to do other similar events this year in Amsterdam. I need to find a pen though, that dries instantly  – I spend alot of time blowing on the page to make sure it doesn’t smudge.

A big thank you to everyone who came along. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed our chats and I hope I get to meet you again soon.

xx

berkelouw books, newtown, as captured by louise hawson from fab blog 52 suburbs. click here to see louise’s full newtown post.

Tomorrow – that being Thursday, February 4th – I will be at berkelouw books in newtown for an impromptu booksigning of paris: made by hand between 5:30-7:30pm. I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope you can come along. Don’t forget to bring your copy of the book but if you don’t have one yet or would like another, you can purchase one from berkelouw while you’re there. Too easy!

See you soon mes amis!

xx

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Where: Berkelouw Books, 6-8 O’Connell Street, Newtown (ph: 9557 1777)

When: Thursday, February 4, 2010 between 5:30-7:30pm

What: Pia Jane Bijkerk, author of  this here blog and Paris: Made by Hand –  impromptu booksigning and bloggers/friends meet up!

photograph of berkelouw books newtown cafe by the fat belly club

I have less than two weeks left here in Sydney and I really wanted to meet as many of you as possible. So, I’ve organised an impromptu meet up & booksigning next thursday february 4, between 5:30pm-7:30pm at the new and gorgeous newtown berkelouw books ! Anyone can come along, you can buy your own refreshments at the cafe and we can just chat, or if you have a paris: made by hand you would like signed bring it along, or if you’d like a brand spanking new one for a friend or yourself, berkelouw books will have a nice fat stack, just for the occasion…

I’m thinking it will be a small affair, nothing fancy, just a nice location to mingle and get to meet. What do you think?  Please pass the word along on your blogs if you are based in Australia or Sydney, and I really hope you will come along. Don’t be shy (I’m shy too, so that will make at least two of us!). Email me if you have any questions. And a big thank you to Newtown Berkelouw Books for having us.

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Save the date: Thursday,  February 4, between 5:30pm-7:30pm Newtown Berkelouw Books. See you there!

At the end of last year, many of you let me know that my blog was featured in the Times Online “50 of the world’s best design blogs”. It was a great surprise, and I want to thank you all for letting me know about it, as well as to Times Online for including me. For the full list, check out sfgirlbybay’s post about it right here.

Also, I was super happy to discover that my blog was included in the list of design blog favorite nominations for apartment therapy’s The Homies 2009 award. Since I don’t know much about these things, I really appreciate you guys thinking about me and including me in your votes. Your support and encouragement is wonderful, and I know this (blog)house is buzzing with activity because of you. Thank you mes amis.

amanda’s heavenly polaroids of paris: made by hand

In other news, I was thinking, since I’m in Sydney only for a little while longer, is there anyone here interested in having a copy  of paris: made by hand signed? (blog)house reader natalie and I had discussed the idea in an email briefly some time ago, and then again recently. So I thought I’d just put the idea out now to you guys, and if there was a healthy handful or so then I could look into it further. It wouldn’t be until the beginning of February, and I was thinking at a nice cozy bookstore, say something like gertrude & alice on oxford st, or the likes. I don’t even know if they sell my book, but if they did, perhaps they’d like to host a signing.

What do you think?

If there is enough interest in a signing, I’d need help from someone to organise it as I’m smack bang in the middle of writing my next book. Another idea is that if anyone owns a store in Sydney selling the book and would like to host a signing, then let me know.

I would love to have the chance to meet some of you while I’m here. An impromptu booksigning seems feasible and a great way to see you, non? Let me know your thoughts.

xx